Ventilation garment for inflatable flying suit



S. C. SABO May 10,1960

VENTILATION GARMENT FOR INFLATABLE FLYING SUIT Filed Nov. 13, 1956 2Sheets-She et 1 INVENTOR. STEPHEN C. SABO B QWJW ATTY May 10, 1960 s. c.SABO 2,935,743

VENTILATION GARMENT FOR INFLATABLE FLYING SUIT Filed Nov. 13, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet 2 472v 47a 4 11 as? 53 m m 14 55 INVENTOR. Fl 6.,3 STEPHENC. SABO ATI'T y.

llnited States atent 50 i VENTILATION GARMENT FOR INFLATABLE FLYING SUITStephen C. Sabo, Barber-ton, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. GoodrichCompany, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application November13, 1956, Serial No. 621,633

7 (Tlaims. (Cl. 2=-81) The invention relates to a unitary ventilationgarment adapted to cool or heat the body of the wearer and suitable foruse within protective outer clothing such, for example, as an inflatableflying suit.

Heretofore, it has been customary for the pilots and particularly usefulin the operation of modern, high speed, jet-powered airplanes, inasmuchas without cooling, the wearer of the pressurized flying suit may beovercome by heat prostration.

An object of the invention is to provide a unitary ventilation garmentcapable of overcoming the aforesaid difficulties and disadvantagesencountered in the use of pressurized flying suits.

Other objects of the invention are to provide for cooling orheatingeffectively the body of the wearer; to provide an improved ventilationgarment capable of snugly fitting the wearers body; to provide forcooling the wearers body by conduction and convection; to provide forconducting a gaseous fluid through conduits or passages on a garmentincluding the arm-enclosing and legenclosing portions thereof; toprovide for exhausting the gaseous fluid at the region of the wearerswrists and ankles; to provide for'the absorption of moisture from thewearers body and for evaporating the absorbed moisture and transportingit to theambient air outside the flying suit; to provide for surfaces inthe garment having substantial areas adapted to contact the wearers bodyas for conduction heating and cooling purposes; and to provide forsimplicity of construction, convenience of manufacture, and foreffectiveness of operation.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide for conductingcooling or heating air under pressure along predetermined paths in therespective portions of the gannent; to provide for resisting distentionof conduit means on the garment; to provide for maintaining the interiorof the conduit means open to the flow of air despite flexure andlocalized bending of the arm-enclosing and leg-enclosing portions of thegarment; to provide for resisting total compressibility of the conduitmeans; and to provide for a continuously open, air-conducting passage atone or both margins of a conduit means.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of thisspecification and in which like numerals are employed throughout todesignate like parts,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a unitary ventilation garment 2,935,748Patented May 10, 196( as viewed from the front thereof and constructedin ac-. cordance with and embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view likeFig. 1 but showing the garment as viewed from the back of the same; andI Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 in. Fig. 2 showing theconstruction of an outlet conduit on the garment. v The illustrativeembodiment of the unitary ventilation garment 10 shown in the drawingsincludes integrally united torso 11, arms 12, 13, and leg-enclosingportions 14, 15 of moisture-absorbent flexible material, preferablypervious to air, which portions are adapted to snugly fit the wearersbody. The moisture-absorbent flexible, material may be a stretchablewoven or knitted textile fabric of wool, cotton, linen, rayon, and othertextile filamentary materials, which fabric may include mixtures of suchtextile filamentary materials. Preferably, the torso, arm, andleg-enclosing portions are made of a relatively close knitted fabricpresenting a wool outside surface and a cotton inside surface, whichknitted fabric has suitable stretchability and perviousness andmoistureabsorption characteristics to give good results, especially inrespect of snugly fitting the wearers body. t

Ihe-torso-enclosing portion 11 has aneck opening 16 and may be dividedlongitudinally from the neck opening 16 to the lower region of thetorso-enclosing portion at the front of the unitary or one-pieceventilation garment, as shown in Fig. 1. The margins 17, 18 along thedivide in the torso-enclosing portion 11 may be provided withconventional button fasteners or other suitable separable fastener means19'capable of maintaining the margins closed. The-ann-enclosing portions12, 13 and the legenclosing portions 14, 15 terminate in open ends whichare positionable at the region of the wrists and the ankles,respectively, of the wearer. This construction and ar-1 rangementfacilitates doning and dofling the ventilation garment.

The unitary ventilation garment, when worn by the wearer who is alsowearing an inflatable or pressurized flying suit (not shown), has itstorso, arm, andleg-enclosing portions positioned normally in slightlyspaced relation to the interior surface of the flying suit. The permitsthe flow of air under pressure through the space between the garment andthe flying suit to a suitable ex-L haust port .fitting (not shown) onthe latter suit. I

The invention provides'conduit means of impervious flexible material onthe respective garment portions 11 to 15, inclusive, for directing theflow of air along predetermined paths. The conduit means 20 may bepositioned, on the interior surface of the garment, but it is preferredthat the conduit means be mounted upon the exterior surface of thegarment, as shown in the drawings. The conduit means 20 is desirablydisposed largely at the back of the garment, and may have a conduit orconduits thereof extending laterally about the front of the garment.

, The conduit means 20 includes a manifold conduit 21 extendinglongitudinally along thetorso-enclosing portion 1 11 from the region ofthe neck opening 16 to the lower region of the torso-enclosing portion.The manifoldv conduit 21 has substantial width and length, that is, it

, covers, dmirably, the major portion of the back area are incommunication therewith. -All the outlet conduits are eachrelativelywide to provide substantial area capable of effecting thetransmission of heat by conduction from the wearers body.

One of the outlet conduits 24 extends away from the manifold conduit '21to the upper arinregion er the armenclosing portion 12 where it dividesor branches to form two arm outlet conduits 25, 26 of'substantiallyuniform width extending longitudinally in spaced-apart relation alongthe arm-enclosing portion 12 to the open end thereof. The outer ends 27,28 of the arm outlet conduits 25, 26 are wholly open to facilitate theexhaust of air under pressure therefrom at the region of the wrists ofthe wearer. 7

An outlet conduit 29 is connected to the manifold conduit 21 oppositethe arm outlet conduit 24 and is similarly arranged with spaced-apartarm outlet conduits 30, 31 extending along the other arm-enclosingportion 13.

An outlet conduit 32 of substantially uniform width is connected at itsinner end to the manifold conduit 21 at a position intermediate thelength thereof. The outlet conduit 32 extends laterally about thetorso-enclosing portion 11 at its chest region and terminates in asealed, closed end 33 at the margin along the divide in thetorsoenclosing portion.

Another outlet conduit 34 of substantially uniform width is-connected atits inner end to the manifold conduit 21 at a position opposite thechest outlet conduit 32 and extends in a similar manner laterally aboutthe torso-enclosing portion 11 to the margin along the divide thereinand terminates in a sealed, closed outer end 35. For admitting air underpressure to the conduit means, the outlet conduit 34 may have a flangedtubular inlet fitting 36 adhesively mounted exteriorly thereon adjacentthe manifold conduit 21. The fitting 36 is in communication with theoutlet conduit 34, and adapted for connection to a suitable source ofair under pressure (not shown) located exteriorly of the flying suit.

An outlet conduit 37 connected at its inner end to the manifold conduit21 at a position below the chest outlet conduit 32, extends downwardlyalong the torso-enclosing portion 11 to the junction of thetorso-enclosing portion with the leg-enclosing portion 14, where itbranches out to form a pair of leg outlet conduits 38, 39 ofsubstantially uniform width extending spaced-apart and longitudinallyalong the leg-enclosing portion 14. The leg outlet conduits 38, 39extend to the open end ofthe legenclosing portion 15 and are open attheir outer ends 40, 41. This arrangement facilitates exhausting airunder pressure at the open outer ends of the leg outlet conduits 38, 39adjacent the wearers ankle.

Another outlet conduit 42 is connected at its inner end to the manifoldconduit 21 opposite the connection of the outlet conduit 37. This outletconduit 42 extends downwardly along the torso-enclosing portion 11 tothe junction of the latter with the leg-enclosing portion,15, where itmerges with two leg outlet conduits 43, 44 of substantially uniformwidth which extend in spaced-apart relation along the leg-enclosingportion 15 to the open end thereof. The outer ends 45, 46 of the legoutlet conduits 43, 44-are open to exhaust air under pressure adjacentthe wearers other ankle.

Each of the conduits forming the conduit means on the garment haspreferably little or no distensibility and a flat sectional shape at alltimes, as shown in Fig. 3. The construction shown in Fig. 3 is typicalof that utilized for the manifold conduit 21, the arm outlet conduits24, 29, the chest outlet conduits 32, 3'4, and the leg outlet conduits37, 38, 39 and 42, 43, 44.

In this construction, the flat conduit is shown mounted flush againstthe pervious moisture-absorbent flexible material of the garment 10 atthe back thereof. The flat conduit has outer 47 and inner 48 walls ofimpervious flexible material such, for example, as woven textile fabricdesirably treated or coated'on one side only with resilient natural orsynthetic rubber, neoprene, or other conduit may be arrangedsuperimposed with the neoprene coating 49 at the inside of the conduit.

The superimposed outer 47 and inner 48 conduit walls preferably haveoverlapping marginal portions 47a, 48a, and 47b, 48b, respectively,which marginal portions are adhesively secured together in face-to-facerelation as by a suitable liquid neoprene cement of the air-curing type,thereby preventing the escape of 'air at such marginal portions.

A resiliently flexible, non-compressible, hollow or tubular element ismounted within the flat conduit immediately at each pair of adheredmarginal portions and extends continuously along the conduitsubstantially throughout its length for reinforcement purposes and tofacilitate uninterrupted flow of air along the conduit. This arrangementprovides a pair of laterally spacedapart tubular elements 50 and 51extending longitudinally along the conduit, each of which elements ispreferably formed of a helically coiled wire of suitable metal materialsuch as steel with the coils in closely adjacent or abutting relationone to the other along the tubular element.

The coiled wire. tubular elements 50, 51 not only reinforce the marginsof the conduit, but resist effectively reducing or fully closing thespace within the elements, especially at the elbow and knee regions ofthe garment, where extensive bending and flexure occur. Thus, the coiledwire tubular elements 50', 51 prevent substantial diminution in thequantity of air flowing through the conduit despite pressure of thewearers body against the conduit and despite extensive flexure andbending at the elbow and knee regions of the garment. A suitableneoprene cement is used to adhesively secure the coiled wire hollowelements 50, 51 in position within the conduit.

A flexible reinforcing filler strip 52 is disposed within the conduitand extends laterally from one tubular element 50 to the other tubularelement 51 and extends longitudinally continuously in the conduit. Thereinforcing filler strip 52 is a high bulk, compression-resistant, wovenfabric with an open structure sufl'icient to provide internal passagesfor air flow longitudinally of the fabric. A suitable fabric for thestrip 52 is called Trilok which is described in the publication TextileIndustries, February 1956, pages and 151, and also in the B. H. FosterPatent No. Re. 24,007, issued May 24, 1955.

The Trilok fabric is woven flat upon a standard or regular loom withpolyethylene yarn arranged lengthwise and conventional textile yarnssuch as cotton, wool, silk,,

rayon, nylon, mohair and the like, or combinations of these, arrangedboth lengthwise and crossways; but becomes a permanent, threedimensional structure, when dipped in boiling water. This change is dueto the great shrinkage (55%) of the polyethylene yarn and thesubstantially lesser shrinkage (8 to 12%) of the conventional textileyarns which buckle, when the polyethylene yarn shrinks, to form puffs.

The preferred double Trilok fabric is made of polyethylene yarnextending lengthwise thereof and nylon yarns extending both lengthwiseand crossways thereof, so that the lengthwise nylon yarns buckle to aserpentine or sinuous configuration between the two, superimposed,spaced fabric layers of the shrunk, double Trilok fabric, as shown inFig. 3, thereby defining in part individual, communicating air passageswithin the Trilok fabric. This Trilok fabric is flexible, resilient, andstretchable to conform to a contoured surface, and is not totallycompfessible under a persons weight, and will not flatten out orcollapse under long periods of compression.

The Trilok fabric filler strip 52 is desirably adhesively secured to theouter and inner walls 47, 48 of the conduit as by a suitable neoprenecement. This adhesive attachment facilitates maintaining the conduit inits flat sectional shape and resists distention of the walls even thoughair under pressure is flowing through the conduit. Although the Trilokfabric is not totally compressible, nevertheless some compression, thatis reduction in thickness, may occur as from the pressure of the wearersbody against the conduit or from extensive flexure of the garment at itselbow and knee regions. This reduction in thickness will reduce thevolume of flow of air through the fabric to a limited degree, whichreduction in. flow of air is largely compensated for by the air flow inthe coiled wire tubular elements 50, 51. Each conduitis of sumcientwidth so that compressive forces are generally exerted locally againstthe 'Irilok fabric to avoid reduced thickness and air flow capacitythroughout its width.

The outer and inner walls 47, 48 of the conduit, the coiled wire tubularelements 50, 51, and the Trilok fabric reinforcing filler strip 52 arefurther secured. together as by laterally spaced-apart rows of stitches53 of suitable textile thread. The laterally outermost rows of stitches53 also engage the moisture-absorbent flexible material of the garment.

Relatively narrow, reinforcing tapes 54 of suitable square-woven, cottonfabric coated on one side as with neoprene are provided to resistdistention of the conduit and to reinforce the outer and inner walls 47,48 along the coiled wire tubular elements 50, 51. The reinforcing tapes54, 54 overlie the outer wall 47 and are adhesively 1 secured thereto ina suitable manner with one of the tapes 54 disposed centrally betweenthe elements 50, 51. Each tape 54 extends continuously longitudinallyofthe con duit. Other tapes 55, 55 are arranged in a similar man ner,but are mounted upon the inner wall 48 between the latter and thewall ofthe garment, as shown in Fig. 3.,

The foregoing construction and arrangement applies to all the conduitsand makes feasible extensive flexibility and bending together withresistance to distention. Outward distention of the conduit isobjectionable because of the limited space between the garment and theflying suit, when the garment is worn by the wearer; The conduits makeit possible to effectively cool or heat the wearer by conduction byvirtue of contact of the wearers body against the garment along therespective conduits.

The air under pressure entering through the inlet fitting 36, flowsthrough the conduits with minimum resistance or interference from theTrilok strip and the coiled wire tubular elements, exhausts from theconduits at the region of the wearers wrists and ankles, respectively,and then flows in the space between the garment'and the wall of theflying suit. During the flow of air in said space, the air picks up orevaporates the moisture, due to perspiration, in the moisture-absorbentmaterial of the garment 10. The moisture-laden air is exhausted throughthe suitable fitting of the flying suit to theaircraft cabin or ambientatmosphere, whereby the wearer of the garment and flying suit ismaintained in a comfortable condition.

When the air under pressure which is admitted to the conduits of theventilation garment through the tubular inlet fitting 36, isthe airutilized to maintain the desired internal pressure within the flyingsuit, the ventilation garment 10 advantageously maintains the body ofthe wearer in comfort during flight at high altitudes, that is altitudesin excess of about 8,000 to 12,000 ft. Air under sufficient pressure toproduce good flow of air through the-.- conduits, may be admitted tosuch conduits of the ventila: tion garment, either during flight atlower altitudes or during the wearers stay in the ready room of anaircraft carrier warship or other aircraft base, when the flying suit isnot under the internal pressure flight condition,

I under these conditions of use.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the inventionas it is defined in the followin ing in open ends positionable at theregion'of the wrists and the ankles of the wearer, conduit means ofimpervious imperforate flexible material on the said garment portionsincluding at least one outlet conduit extending along each arm-enclosingand leg-enclosing portion to sub stantially said open end thereof witheach arm and leg outlet conduit being open at its outer end onlytoexhaust gaseous fluid into the space between said garment and theexternal covering to evaporate moisture from said material of thegarment portions, and means on said garment in communication with saidconduit means for supplying the gaseous fluid thereto, all portions ofthe said conduit means having a flat cross-sectional configuration suchthat the width is greater than the thickness with means in said conduitmeans to maintain the shape of the latter including a flat strip offlexible pervious resiliently deform able material with longitudinalfluid passages therein disposed between opposite margins of the conduitmeans and secured to opposed flat wall portions of the conduit means.

2. A unitary ventilation garment for use within an inflatable flyingsuit, said ventilation garment comprising pervious moisture-absorbentflexible textile fabric 'ma-' terial providing torso, arrn andleg-enclosing portions haust gaseous fluid into the space between saidgarment and the flying suit to evaporate moisture from said ma-' terialof the garment portions, and means on said gar-' ment in communicationwith said manifold conduit for supplying the gaseous fluid thereto, allportions of the manifold conduit-and the arm and leg outlet conduitshaving a flat cross-sectional configuration such that the width isgreater than the thickness with means in the said conduits to maintainthe shape of the latter including laterally spaced flexible tubularreinforcing elements extending longitudinally of the conduits at themargins of the latter and a flat strip of flexible pervious resilientlydeformable material with longitudinal fluid passages therein disposedbetween said elements-and secured to opposed flat wall-portions of theconduits.

3. A unitary ventilation garment for use within an iii-- flatable flyingsuit, said ventilation. garment comprising torso, arm and leg-enclosingportions of pervious mois- =ture-absorbent flexible textile fabricmaterial positionablesnugly about the wearers body and normally inspaced" relation to the interior surface of the flying suit, said armenclosing and said leg-enclosing portions terminating in' open endspositionable at the wrists and ankles of the wearer, a manifold conduitof impervious flexible ma terial extending longitudinally along saidtorso portionat its exterior and the back of said garment, a pluralityof outlet conduits of said impervious flexible material. connected attheir inner ends to'said manifold conduit in communication therewithwith at least one-outlet conduit disposed at the exterior and the backof the garment and extending along each arm-enclosing and legenclosingportion to substantially said open end thereof and each arm and legoutlet conduit being open at its outer end to exhaust gaseous fluid intothe space between said garment and the flying suit to evaporate moisturefrom said material of the garment portions, and means on said garment incommunication with said manifold conduit for supplying the gaseous fluidthereto, said manifold conduit and said outlet conduits each having aflat cross-sectional shape and having complementary spaced outer andinner wall portions of said impervious flexible material integrallyunited along margins of the conduit, said inner wall portion beingseated against and secured to the textile fabric material of thegarment, said manifold conduit and said outlet conduits each includingflexible pervious resiliently deformable material within and occupyingthe major part of the width of the conduit and secured to said outer andsaid inner wall portions to maintain the flat shape of the conduit.

4. A unitary ventilation garment for use within an inflatable flyingsuit, said ventilation garment comprising air-perviousmoisture-absorbent flexible textile fabric material providing torso, armand leg-enclosing portions adapted to snugly fit the wearers body andpositionable normally in spaced relation to the interior surface of thedying suit, said arm-enclosing andsaid leg-enclosing portionsterminating in open ends positionable at the region of the wrists andthe ankles of the wearer, conduit means of impervious imperforateflexible material at the back of the garment on the said garmentportions including a non-distensible manifold conduit of flat sectionalshape extending, longitudinally along the back of said torsoenclosingportion and occupying the major part of the' area thereof, and at leastone non-distensible outlet conduit of flat sectional shape incommunication with said manifold conduit and extending along the back ofeach arm-enclosing and leg-enclosing portion to substantially said openend thereof and each arm and leg outlet conduit being open at its outerend only to exhaust air under pressure into the space between saidgarment and the flying suit to evaporate moisture from said material ofthe garment portions, flexible pervious resiliently deformable meanswithin all said conduits secured to' opposed flat wall portions thereofand maintaining the conduits in the flat shape and open along theirlength to the flow of said air under pressure, and means on said garmentin communication with said conduit means for supplying the air underpressure thereto. a

a A unitary ventilation garment for use within an in-' flatable flyingsuit, said ventilation. garment comprising torso, arm and leg-enclosingportions of air-pervious moisture-absorbent flexible knitted textilefabric material positionable snugly about the wearers body and normallyin spaced relation to the interior surface of the flying suit, saidarm-enclosing and said leg-enclosing portions terminating in open endspositionable at the wrists and ankles, respectively, of the wearer, anon-distensible flat manifold conduit ofimperviousfflexible fabricmaterial having a width greater than the thickness and extendinglongitudinally along said torso portion at the back of said garment, aplurality of non-distensible flat ouitlet conduits of said imperviousflexible fabric material having a width greater than the thickness andextending away from and connected to said manifold conduit incommunication thorewithwith at least one outlet conduit extendinglaterally about said torso-enclosing portion to its front and with apair of interconnected outlet conduits extending spaced-apart at theback of. the garment along each armenclosing and leg-enclosing portionto substantially said open end thereof, each arm and leg outlet conduitbeing open at its outer end to exhaust air under pressure into the spacebetween said garment and the flying suit to evaporate moisture from saidmaterial of the garment portions, all portions of each of the saidconduits including laterally spaced resiliently flexible tubularreinforcing elements of helically coiled wire extending longitudinallyof the conduit adjacent the margins of the latter and perviousresiliently deformable material between said reinforcing elementsconsisting of a pair of superimposed spaced layers of woven textilefabric secured to adjacent wall portions of the conduit andinterconnected by laterally extending textile filamentary elementsarranged in a sinuous disposition and defining in part individualcommunicating passages extending longitudinally of the conduit, andmeans on said garment in communication with said manifold conduit forsupplying the air under pressure thereto.

6. A unitary ventilation garment for use within an external covering,said ventilation garment comprising pervious moisture-absorbent flexibletextile fabric material providing torso, arm and leg-enclosing portionsterminating in openends positionable at the region of the Wrists andankles of the wearer, conduit means of impervious flexible materialfatthe back of the garment and on the said garment portions including amanifold conduit extending along and occupying the major part of theback area of said torso-enclosing portion, and at least one outletconduit in communication with said manifold conduit and extendingtherefrom along the back of each armenclosing portion and leg-enclosingportion to substantially said open end thereof with each arm and legoutlet conduit being open at its outer end to exhaust gaseous fluid intothe space between said garment and the external covering to evaporatemoisture from said material of the garment portions, and means onsaidgarment in communication with said conduit means for supplying thegaseous fluid thereto, all portions of the said' conduit means having aflat cross-sectional configuration such that 35' the width is greaterthan the thickness with means in said conduit means to maintain the flatshape of the latter including laterally spaced flexible hollowreinforcing elements extendnig longitudinally of the conduit meansadjacent the margins of the latter and pervious resiliently deformablematerial between said reinforcing elements consisting of a pair ofsuperimposed spaced layers of woven textile fabric material secured toadjacent wall portions 'of said conduit means and interconnected bylaterally extending textile filamentary elements arranged in a sinuousdisposition and defining in part individual communicating passagesextending longitudinally of said conduit means.

7. A unitary ventilation garment for use within an inflatable flyingsuit, said ventilation garment comprising air-perviousmoisture-absorbent flexible knitted textile fabric material providingtorso, arm and leg-enclosing portions adapted to snugly fit the wearersbody and terminating in open ends positionable at the wrists and anklesof the wearer, a manifold conduit of impervious flexible woven textilefabric material having a flat cross-sectional figuration such that thewidthis greater than the thick-- ness and connected at their inner endsto said manifold conduit in communication therewith with atleast oneoutlet conduit extending along the back and outer surface of eacharm-enclosing and leg-enclosing portion to substantially said open endthereof and being open at its outer end to exhaust air therefrom forfacilitating the evaporation of moisture from said material of, thegarment portions, and means on said garment in communication with saidmanifold conduit for supplying air under pressure thereto, the saidconduits each including laterally spaced resiliently flexible hollowreinforcing elements of helically coiled wire extending longitudinallyof the conduit adjacent the margins of the latter and perviousresiliently deformable textile fabric material between said ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Akerman June 27,1950 l0 Rodert Feb. 6, 1951 Dunn Oct. 30, 1951 Mianulli Jan. 5, 1954FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Mar. 29, 1941

